In the context of a national discussion regarding behavior management in child and youth care settings, and in an effort to address the need to care safely and appropriately for children and youth, the Child Welfare League of America (CWLA) formed the National Task Force on Behavior Management. The task force includes representatives of advocacy groups, consumer groups, CWLA's member agencies, accrediting bodies, and others with expertise in residential group care, foster care, child day care, and juvenile justice. This book contains the resulting CWLA guidelines, providing practical guidance to child welfare agencies. The guidelines are designed for use in all areas of the child welfare field, from improving practice at a program level to revising behavior management standards for accreditation. Chapter 1 of the book presents the ethical and legal framework for behavior management practices. Chapter 2 details best practices concerning implementation and maintenance of a comprehensive behavior management system, including system-wide administration and provider leadership. Chapter 3 provides guidelines for a continuum of behavior management interventions, including individualized service planning, selection of behavior intervention models, de-escalation methods, and physical interventions. Chapter 4 concerns guidelines on the use of restraint and seclusion. Chapter 5 discusses guidelines for professional development and support for staff and caregivers. Three appendices list members of the best practice task force, the guidelines reviewers, and the CWLA staff and consultants. A glossary of relevant terms is included. (Contains 29 references and 32 additional resources.) (KB)